U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,174 discloses a form of soft-edged trampoline in which the mat of the trampoline is supported by a plurality of resiliently flexible rods received in a frame of the trampoline at the lower ends of the rods and coupled to the periphery of the bouncing mat of the trampoline at their upper ends, and which avoids the need for a solid frame about the exterior of the bouncing mat and exposed springs between the frame and periphery of the mat.
PCT patent publications WO 03/043704 and WO 04/105886 relate to improved edge fittings for such soft-edged trampolines, for coupling the upper ends of the rods to the periphery of the mat. The fittings have a cavity on the underside of the fittings into which a ball-shaped upper end of a rod fits to connect the rod to the peripheral edge of the trampoline to form a coupling between the ends of the rods and the mat.